 |
[RC] being competitive - Ridecamp GuestPlease Reply to: Dennis Farnham dfarnham09@xxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== Hello Kim, Great Post! I really appreciated everything that you had to say...in your very objective manner. Several years ago, our son was beginning to warm his mare up for a dressage test at a regional, USPC rally when the mare fell over dead, but still thrashing. An aneurism had burst in her brain. She was at a walk when it happened...definitely no stress. I reminded my wife of this unfortunate happening a while back. My son recieved tons of condolences and experessions of sympathy and concern. I told my wife that had the same thing happened to her while walking her horse around before the start of an endurance race (and it could), I sincerely believe that she would have received many jaundiced looks/comments and been reported to the SPCA. My question about this sport is that if the vets pass the horse at the vetchecks and determine that the horse is fit to continue at the end of the race, are "also-rans, etc." really qualified to bad mouth winners? Doesn't say much for many folks opinion of the vets' abilities and determinations, does it? Diverse goals are wonderful as in the sport of marathon running, but they shouldn't have to be "exalted" at the expense of the admiration of endurance's shining stars, the winners. I think this attitude is going to have to modify somewhat for the U.S. to ever become competitive at the highest levels again...FEI. Sadly, the Americans are currently a nonevent internationally. My final question is why would a serious horseman want to expend the effort to find that special horse, condition and develop that equine athlete to the level that it can compete at the highest level and develop him/herself physically and mentally to the same level to represent a country where winning an endurance race is not admired or respected. My observation is that being an endurance winner is somewhat like being a returning Viet Nam veteran. I really don't see any of this confusion in the marathon or the triathlon. Anyway, thanks again Kim for some ideas that I can appreciate. These are just some observations of an endurance groom...who returning immediately to lurkdom. Dennis =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
|